I finally got the chance to start my dream tank, 220g sps dominant reef. I’m looking for feedback based on the basics that I’m trying to remain consistent on. I’m looking for great long term success. I got all the time in the world.
the tank currently has:
11 fish
3 snails
1 tuxedo urchin
2 hermit crabs
About five snails or six
Age of tank: 9 months. Didn’t add first fish until month four. I did an extremely long cycle.
corals:
Green slimer (large mini colony from friends established reef. I still dipped twice and quarantined for 20 days. It was growing in there and has full polyp extension in quarantine and display.
2 euphyllia
Couple Zoas
1 lobo
Couple acans
1 teeny rock flower anemone
parameters, all with salifert and refractometer.
CA 400
Magnesium 1200
Alk 7.7
Nitrates 5
Sg 1.026
Temp 77.6 to 78.4
flow - two 4K gyres on gyre mode running up to 90%. Once I get the acros I will add two Nero 5s to move in pulse mode. Placing them on back of tank.
skimmer - reef octopus 200 int. Makes blocks of crap it’s insane.
filter socks changed weekly
10% water change every two weeks, sand vac every time
Empty skimmer when full sometimes takes three weeks.
I use a jebao auto doser and my parameters are always the same. I have been trying to raise magnesium to 1300 slowly but it’s like a never ending battle. Week straight at 1200 and I feel like I’ve put half a gallon in already.
I’m going to buy my acros all in one and “set and forget it.” Type deal. I’ll do water changes as Normal. I intend on upgrading to a calcium reactor once my auto doser becomes a waste of time by having to refill the containers all the time. Huge learning curve on this one but I’ve been reading.
I quarantine EVERYTHING for a minimum of 30 days, even snails. Hence why the tank is so empty, been 9 months and it still looks blank but it’s kicking up and it’s so exciting to watch it little by little get more color.
I want to buy a big box from battle corals when I’m ready and feel like my slimer is growing good in there.
I will dip the 15-20 new frags and observe/quarantine with a wrasse or other natural predator of parasites for 30 days. After 30 days of no pests ill do on more dip and let them rest for 5 more days in quarantine before moving to the display.
The thing is, my quarantine is ten gallons. I’m willing to do daily water changes if that’s what it takes to make sure the frags do well in quarantine, i would imagine the best route would be to get a bigger quarantine and that is an option but I need a 22” tank of some sort no bigger. Like a 10” tall tank.
My quarantine has the same lights as the display tank.
I use 4 hydra 26 on my display tank running AB+. I’ve been increasing my blues and royal blues 1% every three days as I don’t feel that 80% is good enough. So far so good.
food:
I dose 2 tsp per day of oyster feast with return pump off along with whatever food I have frozen for the fish (rods, reef frenzy, nano frenzy), broadcasting the food every feeding for at least 30 minutes twice a day. I would say it’s the equivalent of two cubes per day plus the oyster feast.
I run chemipure blue, one big bag (rated for 75 gallons). I was running two but my euphyllia weren’t having it so I reduced. To one. If I notice that the nutrients need more control later I’ll run two again. For now I think it’s good with one.
and that’s it! Just looking to see what everyone thinks of my setup and what I’m doing.
the tank currently has:
11 fish
3 snails
1 tuxedo urchin
2 hermit crabs
About five snails or six
Age of tank: 9 months. Didn’t add first fish until month four. I did an extremely long cycle.
corals:
Green slimer (large mini colony from friends established reef. I still dipped twice and quarantined for 20 days. It was growing in there and has full polyp extension in quarantine and display.
2 euphyllia
Couple Zoas
1 lobo
Couple acans
1 teeny rock flower anemone
parameters, all with salifert and refractometer.
CA 400
Magnesium 1200
Alk 7.7
Nitrates 5
Sg 1.026
Temp 77.6 to 78.4
flow - two 4K gyres on gyre mode running up to 90%. Once I get the acros I will add two Nero 5s to move in pulse mode. Placing them on back of tank.
skimmer - reef octopus 200 int. Makes blocks of crap it’s insane.
filter socks changed weekly
10% water change every two weeks, sand vac every time
Empty skimmer when full sometimes takes three weeks.
I use a jebao auto doser and my parameters are always the same. I have been trying to raise magnesium to 1300 slowly but it’s like a never ending battle. Week straight at 1200 and I feel like I’ve put half a gallon in already.
I’m going to buy my acros all in one and “set and forget it.” Type deal. I’ll do water changes as Normal. I intend on upgrading to a calcium reactor once my auto doser becomes a waste of time by having to refill the containers all the time. Huge learning curve on this one but I’ve been reading.
I quarantine EVERYTHING for a minimum of 30 days, even snails. Hence why the tank is so empty, been 9 months and it still looks blank but it’s kicking up and it’s so exciting to watch it little by little get more color.
I want to buy a big box from battle corals when I’m ready and feel like my slimer is growing good in there.
I will dip the 15-20 new frags and observe/quarantine with a wrasse or other natural predator of parasites for 30 days. After 30 days of no pests ill do on more dip and let them rest for 5 more days in quarantine before moving to the display.
The thing is, my quarantine is ten gallons. I’m willing to do daily water changes if that’s what it takes to make sure the frags do well in quarantine, i would imagine the best route would be to get a bigger quarantine and that is an option but I need a 22” tank of some sort no bigger. Like a 10” tall tank.
My quarantine has the same lights as the display tank.
I use 4 hydra 26 on my display tank running AB+. I’ve been increasing my blues and royal blues 1% every three days as I don’t feel that 80% is good enough. So far so good.
food:
I dose 2 tsp per day of oyster feast with return pump off along with whatever food I have frozen for the fish (rods, reef frenzy, nano frenzy), broadcasting the food every feeding for at least 30 minutes twice a day. I would say it’s the equivalent of two cubes per day plus the oyster feast.
I run chemipure blue, one big bag (rated for 75 gallons). I was running two but my euphyllia weren’t having it so I reduced. To one. If I notice that the nutrients need more control later I’ll run two again. For now I think it’s good with one.
and that’s it! Just looking to see what everyone thinks of my setup and what I’m doing.
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